Axle unit



AXLE UNIT Fuga Aug. 18', 193s :s sheets-sheet 1 MTORNEM Jan.7,1936. Afp. ARMINGTON `2.027.218

, AXLE UNIT l" Filed Aug. 18, 1555 3 sheets-sheet 2 INVENTOR RrHu/P 54PM/Naw# fuogm'a Jan.- 7, 1936- A. P. ARMINGTON AXLE UNIT riledAug. 18, 193;

3 Sheets-Sheet 3 nWENToR P/PM/A/Gro/v fz ATTO 6 Patented Jan. 7, 193e APATENT OFFICE AXLE UNIT Arthur P. Armington, Willoughby, Ohio, assignor to The Euclid Road Machinery Company, Euclid, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application August 18, 1933, Serial No. 685,770

3 Claims.

This invention relates to self-containeddriving axle unita electrically powered, and which may be adaptedfor the operation known as steer by drive. Such a unit is shown in my copending applica tion, Serial No. 685,771, filed of even date herewith, and the general objects of this invention are to provide a unit adapted for higher speed and of somewhat simpler construction than the one there shown. A 'particular object is to incorporate the `driving motor as an integral part of the axle structure, located centrally thereof and enclosed by the. housing and frame structure of the axle itself.

The exact nature of this invention together with further objects and advantages thereof will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the' accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a sectional view of the assembly taken as in a central horizontal plane; Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same, parts being broken away to show details of construction and the near wheel being removed; Fig. 3 is a transverse section as in the plane of line 3 3, Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a detail in side elevation of the gearing by which steering actuation and inertia lockk ing of the wheels is had; and Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate a modification adapt'edfor railway service, Fig, 5 being a side elevation partly in section and g. g being 'a section as in the plane of line 6 4,

With reference now to Figs. 1 to 4 of the drawings, the rotating parts to be described are corelated by, and for the most' part housed within, a housing and frame structure having five principal members, a cylindrical central member I, housing members 2 and 3, one at either end thereof, and similar end covers 4 for the housing members 2 and 3. These parts are rigidly connected together as by bolts, not shown, but passing as usual through the abutting anges illustrated. The housing members 2 and 3 have inwardly turned flanges 3. These, together with end shields 5 form partition walls which form in effect three cavities or enclosures, a .central cavity 6 and end cavities 1. A shaft 8 has bearing in the motor end shield walls 5 and extends therebeyond into the cavities 1. At'each end of the assembly is a stub shaft 9 carrying a wheel Illhere indicated as rubber tiredbut whose tread -may be flanged as for rail service or of any other, suitable nature dependent upon the use towhich the axle is to be put. Each stub shaft 8 has a bearing at 'II in the corresponding end cover 4 of the housing, and' It will be observed that by the arrangement described the three shafts are maintained in alignment but permitted relative rotation, and the housing structure is carried by the wheels I8. The shaft 8 carries, within the housing 8, a driving motor armature I3 having a commutator I4 to which access may be had as through hand holes I5 in the central housing member I.` Field coils I6 are'mounted on cores secured lin the central housing member I, the arrangement being recognizable as one wherein the central housing member I constitutes the trame and the shaft 8 the armature shaft, of an electric motor.

Each end oi? the motor shaft 8 has driving connection with its stub shaft 8`by planetary gearing, identical for each end. Such gearing includes a center pinion I1 secured on the motor shaft 8, planetary pinions i8 mounted on the stub shaftand a ring gear I9 with which the planetary pinions mesh and which is here shown as bearing, at 20, on the stub shaft 9.

- It will be apparent that operation of the driving motor to actuate its shaft 8 will effect coincident and similar drive of both. wheels Illat reduced speed, the planetary pinions I8 rolling within their ring gears I9.

Means are provided for associating these ring gears I8 with the housing, for control of the former, and as here shown such means include means for interassociating the ring gears to provide steering drive of the wheels.

The ring gears are externally toothed as indicated, each to mesh with a pinion 2|, each pinion being mounted upon a shaft having bearing in its enlarged housing part. One'of these shafts 35 22 extends from the housing 3 intmthe housing 2 aligned with and adjacent the end of the other pinion shaft 23. At their adjacent ends'these pinion shafts carry `gears 24 slightly spaced .from each other. Each gear 24 is meshed with a pinion 4o 25, these pinions intermeshing between the 'gears 24 and being carried by shafts having suitable bearing in the indicated enlargement 26 of the housing 2.

One-o1' the pinions 25 has' an associated gear 45 2l which meshes with a pinion 28. It' will be observed that' the arrangement described ,pre-

vents -relative rotation of the ring gears I8 ex cept in opposite directions.

' Mass means are associated with the pinion 28 50 to oppose, by inertia eect, such relative ring gear rotation. As here indicated such mass means comprises the armature of a steering motor 29 mounted upon the housing part 28 as indicated, such motor being employed where the Il l axle unit is to have steering characteristics, as

ras generally similar to in a land vehicle. Were the axle to be employed merely for drive,- that is without steering control, a mere ywheel connected as with the pinion 2@ would be suiicient to provide by its mass a differential lock between the two ring gears I 9 and thus between the two wheels, to oppose sudden relativev rotation of the latter and thus automatically maintain traction of both during accelerating and decelerating periods, yet permit their relative rotation around curves. Such a flywheel is illustratedI and described in my copending application to which reference has been made.

The functioning of the mass means to produce the described results will be apparentiY Any relative rotation between the two ring gears i9 will eiect rotation of the mass means at a much higher speed and in a direction dependent upon the direction of the relative ring gear motion. By employment of the motor 29 it will heapparent that its drive applied to both wheels but oppositely to each, so that the axle unit may be steered as well as driven.

A brake drum 30 is secured on the driving motor shaft -8, within the housing 2L and a cooperative brake band 3| provided, shown as connected to an actuating cylinder. 32, to have decelerating effect upon the shaft 8 and consequentlyupon the wheels similarly as the driving motor has acceleratingeect.

Operation will be apparent assuming both driving and steering motors connected with a suitable source of power subject to reversing controllers. Operation of the driving` motor in will' cause -operation of both. wheels at reduced speed inthesame direction. Operation ci the steering motor will cause operation of both wheels at much reduced speed in opposite directions'. The two motors may be operated either aloneor simultaneously. If'opwheel will have a component of drive from each motor. ,d axle unit may be caused to travel in a straight path, a curved path, or, under operation of the steering motor only, may be caused to rotate upon its vertical center. f

For associating the axle unit with its vehicle, suitable brackets are provided on the housing and frame structure, dependent upon the relation which the unit is to have with the vehicle principal arrangecopending application. Fig. 2 indicates, for example, brackets l33 integral respectively with the frame housing members 2 and 3, by which the axle may be rigidly secured to frame members 34 of the vehicle.

With reference now to the modification of Figs. 5 and 6, the arrangement will be observed that described and illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, with the exceptions to be noted. .The frame housing has as before, a central member la and members 2a and 3a, end covers lla. and motor end walls 5a, these frame -housing members forming a central cavity 6a anden'd cavities 1a as before. Motor means are within the central cavity 6a with a disposed shaft 8a extending into the end cavities and there carrying in each cavity a. differential center pinion lla, the shaft 8a extending beyond each 'by the motor end walls 5, 5a. operation will effect through thei two end differentials of the unit, components of and described in my said aoamie pinion Ha and there having a bearing i2a with a stub shaft 9a. Mounted on each stubshaft is a plurality of planetary pinions i8a meshing with their center pinions Ila and with a ring gear Isa. 'Ihe ring gear is fixed with the frame housing 5 and here shown as integral with the end cover 4a.

Thus, both stub shafts 9a, will be positively driven by the motor shaft 8a at the same speed with each other but of the motor. Mounted on the stub shafts are anged wheels illu to run on rails 35. Brackets 33a integral with the frame housing members 2a and 3a. respectively, serve to connect the axle unit with the supported part of the vehicle here conventionally indicated in broken lines at 34a.

Of'course, in operation, in both axle unit forms, the end cavities i and 'la will contain lubricant for the moving parts therewithin, whereas lubricant will be excluded from the center cavity 6,

What I claim is:

1. In a driving axle unit of the class described, a frame and housing including a central part and end parts with removable end covers, said parts being arranged to provide three enclosures,

motor means in the central enclosure having I a frame and housing including a central part and t0 end parts with removable end covers, said parts being arranged to provide three enclosures, motor means in the central enclosure having shaft means extending into the end enclosures, wheelcarrying stub shafts extending through said end 45 covers and bearing therein, and gearing of plane(- tary type arranged in each end enclosure to pro-l vide drive oi' its stub shaft by said motor shaft, each planetary gearing comprising a center pinionon said motor shaft, planet pinions mounted 50 on the stub shaft, and a ring gear Ahaving a bearing upon the stub shaft, and means associated with' both said ring gears for their simultaneous drive in opposite directions;

3. In a driving axle unit of the class described, 55 d ving motor means having a shaft, a wheelcarrying stub shaft at either end thereof, for each stub shaft driving differential gearing of planetary type having an input element driven by said motor shaft, a. second input element, and an 10 output element in driving relation with said stub shaft, housing means for said motor means vand' gearing and having bearing upon said stub shafts, said housing means including a central. part forming a supporting enclosure motor means, and end parts enclosing said gearing, and means providing for simultaneous actuation of said lsecond differential input elements in opposite directions to cause steering operation of said stub shafts, and including steering motor 70.

means and located at a lower speed than that l0 for said '6v 

